Lost & Found
by Gcgray
Summary: Written for the Valentines rare pair, soulmate fest for the FB group Hermione's Nook. "The most beautiful part is, I wasn't even looking for you when I found you - Autumn."
1. Chapter 1

"Mom, have you seen my fantastic beast's book?" Ginny called as she turned her room over for the fourth time. She stood looking around the chaos, hoping that it would reveal itself. She was sure that she'd left it on top of her trunk with her other school books. She distinctly remembered coming back to the Leaky Cauldron and piling them all there ready to pack her trunk, but now, all the other books were there, but Newt Scamander's book was mysteriously gone. The Hogwarts express would leave without her at this rate.

"I think you left it in the bathroom, dear." Hollered her mother sounding as harassed as usual this September first. "George! Fred!" Come and get these awful things out of the kitchen. Why in Merlin's name did you buy these Canopic jars? And why are they here?" She heard her ask before the twins rumbled down the stairs.

"Research" they replied in tandem as they almost knocked another patron out of the way.

Ginny shook her head as she moved to the bathroom. She passed her eyes over every surface, but there was no sign of her book anywhere. She growled in frustration before turning back to her room. She would have to borrow one when she got to school. Hermione would probably have a copy she could borrow. That was the second item in as many days to up and disappear. First, it was her pygmy puff pencil case and now her school book. She wondered whether the twins had anything to do with it. She would get the truth even if she had to fight dirty.

She flopped down on her bed and sighed as she looked around the mess before rolling her eyes. She went to stand when something caught her eye. Something mud brown in colour lay over the back of her trunk. That hadn't been there before. She stood up and reached for it and realised that it was a Quidditch uniform. Why would there be a quidditch uniform in her trunk? She saw the two brooms and recognised the emblem as belonging to Puddlemere United. She turned it around to read the back, just in case, there was a name. She frowned when she realised it was blank.

Maybe it was the cleaning goblin, and this was someone else's jersey. She rolled her eyes as she packed everything away into her trunk again. She looked at the jersey again before throwing it into her trunk. Something told her that she should keep it.


	2. Chapter 2

Oliver lay on his bed, looking up at the canvas as his brain whirled. He couldn't believe it had finally happened. One of the agents from Puddlemere United had seen him play and how owled him. They wanted him to join the reserve team. He was in shock, it was like his dreams had come true. All he needed to do was finish his final year, and then he could spend every waking minute thinking, talking and playing Quidditch.

He shot a glance at the complimentary jersey that they had sent and had to do a double-take. The hanger where the uniform had been was now empty. He sat up as panic pooled in his stomach.

"Perce?" He asked quietly as he walked towards the now empty hanger.

"Mmm?" the redhead murmured from one of his letters.

"Has anyone been in here while I was gone?" Percy looked up from his pile of parchment and shook his head.

"No. Only you, me and Peters." He replied as he nodded towards the bathroom. Wood propelled himself forward and pulled open the door of the bathroom.

"Nick? Have you seen my jersey?" He called in without looking.

"Wouldn't catch me dead with that thing, mate. It's a Puddlemud jersey!" He could hear the disgust in the other Gryffindors voice as he rolled his eye. He turned back into the room and began to pace. He bit his thumbnail as he tried to retrace his steps.

"Whats happened?" Percy asked as he too stood.

"My Jersey, it's gone. I swear it was there when we came in, but now it's gone."

"It can't have disappeared, We'd have noticed it, we were here," Percy argued.

"Then where is it, Perce?" Oliver shouted as he pulled his hair. His eyes returned back to the space where the jersey had been and frowned.

"What's that?" Percy asked as he stepped up behind Oliver to look.

"It's a copy of Fantastic Beasts. Mine's in my trunk is this yours?" He asked, turning around to the redhead.

Percy shook his head with a frown. "Mine's still in my trunk too."

Oliver shook his head and shrugged as he threw it on one of the other beds, "Maybe it's one of the others."

"I'll report your missing jersey to Mcgonagall, being Head boy and all. The last thing we need is a thief." He said as he puffed up his chest slightly. Oliver smiled and nodded but inwardly rolled his eyes. If he had to head about that bloody pin and position, he would aim a bludger right at his head in the next game.

"Thanks, Perce." He said as he sat back on his bed, his eyes now fixed on the bare space where the jersey had been.


	3. Chapter 3

She growled in frustration as she threw her things out without regards to where they landed.

"Hey, Stop!" complained her neighbour.

"Sorry, Kindra," Ginny muttered as she almost climbed into the trunk.

"What you lost?" Asked Kora from the far side as she polished her broom.

"You really should put your stuff up better, you're always losing stuff," Elysa remarked as she yawned, still in her pyjamas.

"I've lost a bag of Lick'O'Rish Spiders. Has anyone seen them?" Ginny asked as she rooted through her trunk. She had been saving them since her last visit to Honeydukes. She heard the girls reply as she shook their heads. "They were right here." She growled. "in a brown bag."

"Are you sure you've not eaten them already?" Kindra asked as she peered over her shoulder, looking into the almost empty trunk.

"No, I was saving them for the Quidditch match later." She sat back and pouted. "Are you sure no one's seen them? I won't be mad if you've eaten them, it would just be nice to know I'm not going mad." The other girls all shook their heads in unison.

What was going on? Was she losing it?

She slumped down onto the bed with a sigh. She had been really looking forward to using them to get close to Harry. It had seemed like the perfect plan; offer him a spider, which she knew Ron would avoid, while they watched Ravenclaw beat the Slytherin. She sighed as she started to put things back into her trunk. She felt something tug on her hand and turned. There was some string wrapped around her hand.

She pulled and scrutinised it. It was beautiful, it was a sea-worn glass pendant on a leather thong. Tiny pearls were embedded, giving it a beautiful iridescent finish.

"That's pretty Gin, How come you never wear it?" Elysa asked as she changed clothes.

"It's not mine, Do any of you guys recognise it?" She asked, holding it up.

Once again, they all shook their heads. Ginny shrugged and looked at it. It was indeed charming in a masculine sort of way. She pulled it around her neck and tied the thong up at the back before dropping it under her top. Finders keepers and if it didn't belong to anyone else then why should she keep it.


	4. Chapter 4

The icy January wind blew as they stood on the stands watching the Ravenclaw team managing to keep Slytherin at bay. Oliver almost didn't notice the cold as he watched one of the Slytherin beaters aim a bludger at the Cho Chang. A hiss went up through the crowd as the ball narrowly missed the Seeker.

"That was a dirty trick," Harry said from his elbow. Oliver glanced down and nodded before his eyes returned to the game. He blew into the cup of his hands as he realised just how cold the wind was.

"Those bloody gits!" Ron grumbled from just passed Harry. Oliver nodded again.

"Keep your eyes on Cho and Draco, Harry, The Slytherin's were training hard last term, and We really need to beat them. We face Ravenclaw next and if we've got any hope of winning the house cup this year well need to really step up." His eyes darted from player to player as he tried to see the patterns and the plays being put into motion. This was what he lived for.

He watched as the Slytherin chaser raced, Quaffle in hand across the pitch and watched the Ravenclaw keeper eagerly. They really needed Ravenclaw to win.

He tightened his grip on the railing as he watched the Quaffle pass through the ring. A united groan passed through the stadium. He turned from the pitch and gripped his head. It was unbearable to watch. He took a deep breath and watched the steam escape his mouth before he turned back.

He shoved his hands in his pocket and almost jumped when he met resistance. He pulled the packet out of his trousers and looked at them. Lick'O'Rish spiders. They were his favourite, but he didn't remember buying them. He shrugged, it must have been just another thing he'd purchased from the last Hogsmeade weekend. He opened the pack and shovelled a few into his mouth. He offered the bag to Harry and then Ron who shook their heads. He watched as Ron turned green at the sight of them. He chuckled as he took another couple. Something caught his eye, and he turned. Percy's sister stood watching the bag and looked left out. He felt a twinge as he looked down at the bag. He looked at Harry and surrendered it.

"Want to offer Ron's sister some?" Harry looked at the bag and then around to the redhead and nodded. He watched as the youngest Weasley beamed. He'd never really noticed the girl before but was taken with her big brown eyes and smile. She smiled at him briefly before her eyes were focused on Harry. Oliver rolled his eyes and smirked as he turned back to the game. Some girls just fell head over heels for the chosen one.

"Thanks" The girl called back as Harry passed the bag back to him.

"No problem." He replied with a smile as his eyes returned to the game. His smile didn't last long, and the Slytherins scored again. He swore deeply as the commentator called the end of the match then apologised as McGonagall chided him for his language.


	5. Chapter 5

Ginny held her head in her hands as she swore under her breath. Not again. She could almost cry with frustration. She knew it wasn't her imagination now. She had become almost obsessive with knowing where things were at all times. Things were still going missing, and she didn't think there was a thief in the dorm. She sat at her desk and waited for the other students to leave before she approached his desk.

Slughorn sat looking through the pile of essays, ignoring her until she cleared her throat.

"Professor. I am so sorry, but I don't have my Essay."

"Oh? And why is that Miss Weasley?" He asked as he peered at her from above his glasses.

"I," She started and swallowed. "I'm not sure, sir. I had it in my bag. I put it in there this morning, but it's disappeared. Things keep going missing, and they never turn up again." She sighed as she felt the tears pricking at her eyes.

"Missing? What kind of things?"

"Anything. Everything. I've lost pencil cases, jewellery, books, sweets, this essay, quidditch uniform." She sighed and twiddled with her fingers.

"Interesting, and how long has this been happening?" He leant forward as he pushed the pile of essays to one side.

"Since third year. At first, I thought that maybe one of the other girls was playing a prank on me, but it happens at home too. Then I thought it was my brothers Fred and George but-" she faltered and swallowed again as the tears started to flow. "Since the war. George doesn't really play pranks any more." She sniffed and tried to wipe at her tears.

"Here, Miss Weasley." He offered her a tissue, and she took it thankfully.

"I can redo my essay, Sir. If you would let me have an extension."

"We will discuss that in a moment, I have a couple of questions, though, if I may?"

She nodded and watched as he studied her.

"When these things go missing, do you hear anything, like the sound of an apparition pop?" She shook her head.

"No sir, they're just gone without a trace."

"Are they things of significance that disappear?"

"Not always. Once it was a bag of Lick'O'Rish spiders, another time it was a pair of gold earrings I got for my birthday."

He nodded as he listened.

"And does anything else happen when these items vanish? Do you notice a change? Does something unfamiliar appear in the same mysterious way?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Yes Sir, I once received this necklace," She said as she pulled the worn glass necklace out of her top. He lowered his glasses to appreciate it and nodded. "And I got other things too, an old Puddlemere uniform, socks, magazines."

Slughorn smirked and nodded as he leant back in his chair.

"Sounds to me like this is a bit of old soulmate magic at work."

"Sorry? What?" She asked as she stared at the old teacher.

"Soulmate magic, dear girl." He stood and walked to his bookcase as he perused the spines for a book. "Here we go." He said as he pulled out a thick tome. He dropped it onto the desk as he began to search for a particular passage. He pointed firmly as he motioned for her to come closer.

She studied the tome with its yellowed pages and rough edges. It did indeed look ancient.

The passage was a small one, and she had to read it several times as she tried to understand the words.

Animaverto

Alea iacta est, est enim impossible est factum esse quod factum est. Ut si unum sumus, ego movebo non dici mundum. Unius artis una pretiosa quaeque pro. Magis est uniri ad meliora

She looked at Slughorn with a frown, and he chuckled.

"I kept telling Dumbledore that we needed to teach Latin alongside out other lessons, but he strangely did not see the benefit" He sighed as he focused his old eyes at the page and read it allowed before translating the verse.

"Anima Verto, to swap souls. That sounds rather sinister after You-know-who, but it means to swap things with your soul twin or soulmate." He continued to read allowed.

"The die is cast, it is impossible for the deed to be undone. If together we are to be, I will move the world to claim you. One treasure for one trade. To be united toward better."

He sat back down and looked up at her as she tried to take in the words.

"That's the literal translation; however, with Latin, it can be somewhat blunt at times. So the universe is trying to draw you and your soulmate together by trading your items in the hope that something will help you find one another."

"Soulmate?" She asked dumbly, unable to take the other information in.

"Indeed, so." He nodded as he pulled his glasses off to clean them."

"All this time?" She shook her head as she lowered herself to perch on the edge of the table. "I thought I was going crazy. Somewhere, someone has been experiencing the same thing?"

Slughorn nodded before replacing his glasses.

"And he or she" he cleared his throat at the suggestion. "it is believed will be your perfect partner."

She shook her head as she stared blindly out into the room.

"Did you save the items? They may help you find one another."

She nodded slowly as she stood up to leave.

"Oh, and Miss Weasley, In light of this news, I will wave your homework if you can tell me the three principles of Potion making."

She paused at the door and tried to think past her busy mind.

"Erm, Aufbau's Principle, the Pauli-exclusion principle and the Hunds rule."

"Excellent Miss Weasley, full marks." He smiled kindly at her, and she smiled back as she clutched her bag to her chest.


	6. Chapter 6

He ran his hands down her waist as he kissed her neck, enjoying the noises she was making. He loved it when she made noises like that, like a softly mewling kitten. Oliver held her close feeling her breath ghost over the shell of his ear as he nibbled her neck. She arched her back into him, spurring him on.

They had been seeing each other for weeks. His quidditch training and touring never allowed much time to spend together. He liked her a lot, but as always, something was missing. Like they were still not entirely on the same page, or at least not on the same paragraph. He shook his head as he focused on her.

The feeling of her skin under his hands and the building heat between them fed his hunger for human contact. She pulled his short hair and groaned as his hands found her breasts. He took her mouth in his wanting to devour the noises as he made her cry out.

Her hands reached out for something to grab as she panted under his touch. He closed his eyes as he lost himself in the softness of her.

The pain flashed across his face before he even noticed that anything was wrong. He opened his eyes wide and held his arms up as he saw the fury in her face.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" he shouted angrily.

"Don't sound so surprised! I'm sure you're not shocked." She flushed red as she gripped something in her hand.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, rubbing his now glowing cheek.

She held the material out to him. It was lacey and blue, obviously a piece of underwear. He looked at it without any recognition, before looking back at his girlfriend.

"Recognise this?" She spat. She launched the material at him before turning and getting dressed.

"Caitlin, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She spat angrily. "I can put up with the training sessions and the touring and even the restrictive diet, but I refuse to play second fiddle to fans you bring back from your matches."

"Fans?" He looked at the material and frowned.

"Are you sure this isn't yours? I haven't been with anyone else."

"I would like to think I can remember what underwear is mine and not. And do you really think I'd be able to wear that? The bitch must be flat-chested for the amount of support that thing has."

"Cait, stop, please!" he ran his fingers through his hair as he watched her walk towards the door. "There's got to be some explanation, I'm loyal to you."

"Tell it to the prophet, Oli! It can be your response to my story." She shouted as she slammed the door closed.

He stood, staring at the door and felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. He groaned as he rubbed his throbbing face and lowered himself to the bed. This was going to be a publicity shitstorm. He needed to let Puddlemere know before Caitlin could do anything. He looked at the fireplace and couldn't bring himself to move.

He looked at the lacey blue bra and wondered who it belonged to. Caitlin was right about one thing, it was small in comparison to hers and would have looked ridiculous.

He could only imagine it was another fluke like the other things that had appeared since his last year at school. He had never been able to locate his Puddlemere jersey, nor had he been able to find the necklace his mother had made him before she died. That was the thing he missed the most. The books and clothes could be replaced that pendant was the only thing he had to remember her by.

He had started saving the odd mixture of things that seemed to find their way into his possession; he would add the bra into the mix. He opened his cupboard and pulled out the large cardboard box. Inside he had pieced together, bit by bit that his secret donor was a girl, now painfully apparent by the sudden discovery of the bra.

He had a quidditch uniform, books, sweets, some golden earrings that looked expensive. But to his annoyance, nothing that would tell him who she was. He wondered what had gone missing this time.

He began his regular routine of checking his uniform and wallet to make sure that nothing significant had disappeared. Once he verified that everything was where he left it, he wandered back over to the fireplace and placed a call to his boss. This was going to be an interesting conversation.


	7. Chapter 7

She glided between the two beaters like a knife through butter as she launched the Quaffle into the hoop. The crowd went beserk as she made a small loop de loop in celebration. The Montrose Magpies defence was nothing against the Holyhead Harpies attack. Their line was messy and uncoordinated. She believed that despite the bookie's downcast prediction, they could win the tournament if they continued to play this well together.

She thrived on feeling the wind through her close trimmed hair and felt invigorated when the crowd cheered. She had never had designs on becoming a quidditch player, but now that she was up here feeling the air sting her face, she couldn't think of anything else she'd prefer to do.

The Harpies won in the end, which meant that the changing rooms had filled with people as they celebrated their win. Ginny felt the press of people against her and felt suddenly claustrophobic after the freedom of being 50 foot in the air. She smiled and answered questions as the press pushed for information about her personal life. Was she still with Harry? Was Harry next in line to become Minister? Were the marriage bells on the horizon.

She tried to play it coy and close to her chest when all she wanted to do was shout. They had broken up months ago when Harry came out. Ginny hadn't been surprised and, in all honesty, felt relieved. She loved Harry dearly, and nothing would change that, but being the arm candy by the saviour's side was more taxing than a week's worth of heavy training.

She breathed a sigh of relief when the media emptied out, leaving them all free to shower and leave. Ginny took her time undressing, she always liked being one of the last to shower so that people didn't see her scars.

They were historic and horrific in equal measure. The Carrows had made their mark on the student body in more ways than one.

She let the water engulf her as she let the stress and strain leave her body. She ran her fingers through her short hair as she rinsed it free of the conditioner.

Feeling human again, she padded back over to her locker. She took out her clothes and started to lay them out, ready to put on. She looked over the clothes and felt her face redden as her stomach churned in embarrassment.

"Not my favourite Bra!" She groaned. She turned back to the locker and realised that as usual, something had been exchanged. The navy turtleneck jumper felt so soft to the touch as she picked it up. She shook her head at the thought of her soulmate, receiving a random bra. She sniffed the jumper and smelt the cologne and moaned.

It smelled of bergamot and frankincense and an undertone of something else. It made her nose tingle as she felt a twinge of recognition. She was sure she had smelled this before but couldn't figure where.

She sighed as she put the jumper down to start dressing, that was another one for the collection she'd started after her conversation with Slughorn years ago.


	8. Chapter 8

The Burrow always smelled of baking and straw. Oliver knew that Mrs Weasley liked to cook, but he had never been able to find the origin of the other scent. He shrugged as he sat down at the long dining table and smiled at the other guests.

Ginny sat at the end, laughing with George about something. He had noticed her short hair first. It made her look bolder and formidable despite her petite frame. Percy sat down to his left as he tried to draw him and his father into a discussion about the muggle election that was imminent.

Oliver had never much cared for the world of muggles. They knew nothing about quidditch, and so their world held no interest.

"Dinner's ready," Molly announced as she placed the bowl before them. The aroma of a home-cooked meal made his mouth water. It was times like this he remembered his mother most fondly and noticed her absence more.

"Come on, Oliver, dig in." She urged as she sat down opposite. "You could do with putting on some weight. That training is all well and good, but both you and Ginny look like you're starving yourselves."

"Now you know that's certainly not true in my case, Mom!" Ginny smirked as she winked at Oliver. He smiled back and started to eat. The conversation progressed nicely as they all discussed different topics, the quidditch world cup being a repeat offender as they shared stories and reminisced. Ginny was the first one to stand and wash up her plate.

"Sorry guys. I've got to do some training before I get to bed." She smiled and turned to Oliver "Nice to see you again, Wood."

He nodded and smiled before taking another mouthful of food. She disappeared up the stairs as Percy brought the conversation back around to legislation on floo powder consistency.

He tried to stifle a yawn when a shout erupted from upstairs.

"Are you alright, Love?" Mr Weasley called up.

"No, I'm not." She shouted down with a stomp. "My bloody broom has disappeared." She growled again as Oliver watched the dislodged dust drop from the floorboards above.

"Oh, Ginny, when will you learn? If you don't put your things up, they'll go missing."

"I did, I always do. It was up here, next to my chest of draws."

"Gin?" George called up with a smirk and a roll of his eyes "You silly goose, its down here! You left it against the welsh dresser behind Wood."

The stomping continued until she was back down. Once she saw the broom, her mood lifted.

"Oh, thank Merlin! I thought it was gone for good. Thanks, George. See you later." She smiled. As she moved around the table, bumping into his chair as she passed. She grabbed the broom and disappeared out into the summer evening.

After so many years of it being just him and his dad, he felt slightly overpowered by the number of people in such a small space.

"Do you mind if I grab some air?" He asked before standing from the table.

"Of course, dear. Just mind the Gnomes as you step outside, They're running rampant at the moment."

He nodded and stepped outside. The sun had already set, leaving a glowing orange sky the colour of pumpkin flesh. He took a few breaths as he stared at the sunset.

He heard the zip of someone on a broom as he watched Ginny speed through the twilight sky. He watched in awe as she took a steep dive only to recover at the last minute. He'd only ever seen Harry fly with such bravery. He felt his heart racing as he watched her. She was breath-taking. She disappeared behind the house, and he moved around to find her.

He could hear grunting as he approached. He watched as she hung upside down from her broom, He knees clasping the broom as it hovered six foot from the ground. She pulled herself up before lowering herself slowly, her stomach muscles taught and toned. He remembered her slightly from school, a frightened, quiet little thing, so different from this bold and wild woman. He found he wanted to know more about her, even if it was about how she trained.

"Hey," He called as he stepped closer, not wanting to startle her by his sudden appearance. She looked over as she hung suspended. She smiled and waved before doing another couple of pull-ups.

"Hey Wood, How's tricks?" She asked out of breath.

"Yeah, not bad. Some great flying up there. Is that the new Nimbus evoke?"

She nodded and smirked before doing some more sit-ups.

He waited, knowing that she was probably doing a set number of repetitions. He pushed his hands into his pockets as she perched of a fence.

The air was the perfect temperature, just cool enough to stop the air being humid but hot enough that a jacket wasn't needed.

He glanced over and noticed a slight sheen on her skin. Something glistened in the dying light. He narrowed his eyes and felt his heart stop. The pendant that hung from her throat. He stood up and stepped closer as she finished. She pulled up to the broom before lowing it to the ground and jumping off.

"Hey Wood," She greeted.

"That necklace," he asked as he stepped even closer.

She narrowed her eyes as she picked up the glass pebble she wore around her throat.

"Where did you get that?"

"I found it." She said suspiciously.

"where?" He asked as he stepped closer, oblivious with how close he'd gotten.

Ginny stepped back and frowned. "It was in my dorm at Hogwarts, why?"

"It's mine." He stammered "My mother made it."

"Yours?" she asked as she backed away further. She looked away, as though distracted. "You play for Puddlemere United, don't you?" She asked. It was his turn to frown. He nodded

"What does that have to do with anything."

"Of course! It all makes sense!" She muttered finally as she looked at him, her eyes wide in wonder.

"It makes no sense!" He argued. "I kept that necklace with me all the time until it disappeared."

"With your Puddlemere jersey."

"Yeah," He said before it dawned on him. "Did Perce tell you about that?"

She shooked her head and smiled. She undid the necklace and offered it to him. He took it without thinking as he gazed at the sea-worn stone and pearls that had comforted him so many times.

"Your mom is very talented."

He nodded sadly as he put the necklace around his own neck "She was."

"Was? I'm sorry." Ginny offered as she stepped closer. Oliver let out a breath as he held his mothers' pendant tight. He had missed it so much.

"It was years ago, but this was almost all I had left of her." He said as he sat back on the bench. "I just don't understand how you managed to find it."

She chuckled slightly as she pushed her short hair behind her ear.

"It's funny you should ask that. " She sat down next to him and looked out into the garden. He waited as she gathered her thoughts.

"Have you ever heard of some ancient magic called Anima Verto?" He frowned and shook his head. "Nor had I until my last year at Hogwarts. I was talking to Professor Slughorn about an essay." She glanced at him before looking away again.

"Slughorn? And he told you about this Anima Verto spell?" She nodded. "What does it do?" He asked as he turned to her.

In the dying light, he could see the waking stars glimmer in her dark eyes. Had she always been this beautiful?

"It's not that it does anything per se. It's a bit of ancient magic that draws soulmates together." She said and paused.

He watched her face and waited for her to continue. She sighed and pressed on

"Let me start by explaining what happened. I had written my essay on the three principles of potion-making. It was twenty-four inches long and took me well over a week to complete, and I definitely placed it in my bag ready for potions in last period. Anyway, the end of the lesson came, and he asked for everyone to pass their homework forward, and I couldn't find mine anywhere. When I explained to Slughorn that this was a regular occurrence, he nodded and explained. The magic is supposed to help reunite soulmates but annoyingly pinching items and swapping it with your soulmate." She waited longer now, and Oliver stared. His mind reeled at the information.

"Soulmates?" He asked as he stood up.

"Yeah. So my pencil case went missing, and in return, I got a mud-coloured Puddlemere jersey. And I'm sure that the Lick'O'Rish spiders you shared with me at that quidditch match at school were mine."

He had forgotten how to breathe as he stared at her. Soulmates? Swapping objects? His face burned as he remembered the bra.

"I'm sorry if this is inappropriate, but an article of your clothing didn't go missing recently, did it?" He asked delicately.

"Oh no," she said as she covered her mouth. She began to laugh. "I wouldn't mind getting that Bra back if you've still got it?" He laughed and rubbed his face in embarrassment.

"So does that mean that we're… Soulmates?" He asked and waited as he felt his heart thunder in his chest.

Ginny looked back at the floor before looking at him again. She nodded.

"I can't think of anything else that fits."

He shook his head as he felt the world make sense. Their eyes met for a second, and he could see the exact moment that doubt crossed her features.

"If you don't believe me, you can look it up." She stood up quickly, wiping her hands on her shorts. She looked off to one side, refusing to meet his gaze. She reached for her broom, gripping it firmly once it was in her grasp. "I don't need anything from you, Wood. Just my things back would be nice. I'll send yours over this week." And with that parting comment, she flew off again.

Oliver sat there speechless as he tried to process this news. He'd heard the term soulmates, but he didn't think they were real. He watched as Ginny zoomed around on her broom, almost high enough to touch the clouds and pursed his lips. He needed to go and do some research and have a serious think before he approached her again.


	9. Chapter 9

She sat on the edge of the bench as she waited for the rest of her team-mates to arrive. The idea of staying home waiting for the match had been virtually unthinkable. Since her conversation with Wood, it felt as though her word was off-kilter. She couldn't seem to concentrate on anything and this oncoming match against the Ballycastle Bats. A box of random trinkets arrived by Floo postal service. There was no name or note, but Ginny knew he'd sent it. There were even a few extra bags of Lick'O'Rish spiders thrown in.

She just couldn't work out her feelings about it all. She had grown up with Wood being a well-mentioned friend to almost all of her brothers, but she had never really thought of him romantically, not until she'd started getting some of the more interesting things swapped. His jumper had been a favourite. It smelled warm and rich, like orange sherbet and spices. When she was alone in her room, she would wear it and revel in the smell. The thought of not having that to cling to pained her, and not to admit it to herself, but the thought of never smelling that scent first hand almost broke her heart.

Why hadn't he left a note? Why hadn't he delivered the box himself? She rubbed at her face with her hands. She would not come apart, she would not let a man break her. She was not a child any more. If Wood didn't want her, then screw him. She had managed to survive the past 20 odd years without him, what was another 50? She took a deep breath as she slowly started to change, folding her clothes carefully as she went. Hoping that the mindless monotony of it would take her mind off it all.

She heard a pop and turned around. She hoped it would be Oliver, but no, it was one of the beaters, here early too.

"Hey Gin, Couldn't stay away?" Barbara asked with a grin as she set her things down next to her. Ginny smiled back as she tried to forget everything that wasn't quidditch.

"Nah kept getting itchy feet, I just want to get out there and decimate them, their seeker has been the one bad-mouthing us in the Prophet."

"Ah, so it was him? Scattergood, right?" She nodded. "We'll destroy them!" she agreed.

Ginny concentrated on getting her clothes on and not the ache in her heart. The problem with forgetting everything that wasn't quidditch was that he was all about quidditch. She picked up her broom and gave it a final polish before propping it against the wall.

The sudden din outside the changing room drew her attention. The rest of the team had arrived. Just the sight of them made the nerves jingle under her skin. She didn't usually feel the nerves before a game, but things had changed. She tried to calm down as they began to change into their jerseys, chatting as they discussed tactics. Ginny stood and stretched her joints before reaching for her broom. Her fingers met empty air. She hoped she'd missed but knew without looking that her broom had gone. She looked at the vacant space and growled in frustration. She cursed vehemently and with such conviction that the room went silent.

"Gin? What's wrong?" Cat asked. The seeker asked, her face pale with worry.

"He's got my bloody broom." She said as she pushed her head into her hands.

"What?" Barbara asked.

"Wood!"

"Wood?" Cat asked her face scrunched in confusion. "Wood who?"

"Oliver!" Ginny kicked the bench, her boots protecting her feet.

"The Puddlemere keeper?" Asked Ariel. Ginny rolled her eyes if anyone was going to know, it would be their own keeper.

"Yes!" She threw herself down onto the bench as she swore under her breath. "What am I going to do? The game starts in five minutes."

The room was silent as they all shared worried looks.

"Ok, I'm going to address the erumpent in the room. Why does Oliver Wood have your broom?"

Ginny pulled at her hair as she waited for the ground to swallow her up. The silence continued as she racked her brain as she tried to work out what to do. Crying and or dying were out of the question. She opened her mouth to answer when a knock at the changing room door drew their attention.


	10. Chapter 10

Oliver sat looking at the parchment, wondering what to write. He had wanted to take Ginny's trinkets around personally, but his Gryffindor courage had failed him. He didn't know what to say to her. He knew he found her attractive; every time he blinked, her curves seemed to be etched into his eyes lids. She flew like a demon and courage in spades. He wasn't sure that he was worthy of such a woman. He started to write to tell her so, but as soon as he put quill to parchment, the words became inadequate. He scrunched up the page and added it to the pile in the fireplace.

How did you tell someone that they were too good for you without it sounding like either a lame excuse or fishing for compliments? He rested his elbows onto the desk and rubbed his face. As he pulled away, his eyes caught sight of the tickets. He'd been intending on seeing the Harpies play the Bats; He had a wager with one of the Puddlemere Chasers that Price would catch the Snitch before the Bats seeker. The women were great. Some of the best in the league.

His mind drifted to the way she had danced on the wind in the fading light at the burrow. The way her eyes twinkled. He didn't think he had imagined it. All of a sudden, since that night, he had barely been able to get her out of his mind. He had messed up practice and had to feign a headache to account for missing four out of five shots. A personal worst.

He shook himself as he looked at the parchment again. He knew that he would have to face her at some point. He would have to gather up his dwindling courage and confront her to let her down. She could do so much better than him.

He rubbed his face as he tried to clear his head. Why did he feel this way? He hadn't felt like this about Caitlin. He'd never thought of Ginny as anything other than his friend's sister before but now. It was like she had gone from black and white to full colour. As though there was no way that he could unsee her. He sighed as he glanced at the window. He really wanted to go to the match but couldn't risk running into her. Not yet. He still had so many thoughts that needed sorting.

He heard a crash behind him making him jump. He turned and found a straw racing broom had knocked some books from his bookshelves. He stared at the broom as the realisation dawned on him about its appearance.

He stood up and stared at it as he began to pace. It was a Nimbus Evoke, it could only be hers. She didn't have her broom. He darted a glance at the clock and swore. It was minutes to push off, and without their star chaser, the Harpies would lose.

"Shit!" he swore as he pushed his hand through his hair. He grabbed his coat and tickets and the broom and, with his wand out, apparated to the stadium.

It took him a few minutes to gain his bearings. Puddlemere had only ever played this stadium once during his time. He raced in the direction of the changing rooms. Hoping that he wasn't going to be too late. He ignored calls from fans as he ran through the throngs of people. His heart was booming in his chest at the thought of seeing her. He almost stopped several times as his courage gave out. But each time he rallied, his love for the game and his respect and admiration for Ginny urging him on. He would never forgive himself if he failed her in this.

He stood on the other side of the door and took a deep breath, swallowing down his fear as he raised his hand to knock on the door. There was silence on the other side. He took another deep breath as he covered his eyes and pushed in.

"Is everyone decent? I need to see Ginny Weasley." He called. He paused for a second as he wondered whether he was talking to an empty room when noise erupted from the echoing room. His hand was yanked away from his eyes as the team surrounded him with cheers.

"You've really saved us, Wood!" Ariel smiled as she shook his hand.

"Thanks, Wood!" One of the other girls grinned as her eyes darted between him and Ginny.

His eyes found hers, and suddenly he felt like the earth had grown over his feet. He couldn't move. Her eyes were so dark and enchanting. He couldn't stop staring. She stood slowly. He now short hair making her face look more mature and open. He loved it. She stepped forward and held out her hand. He looked at it for a moment before remembering the broom.

"Oh, erm. Here," he offered as he handed her the broom. "When it appeared, I knew you'd need it." He muttered as he was caught in her gaze. Her hand caught his as she took the broom.

"Thanks, Oliver." She said as her eyes lowered to his lips and back again. He felt his cheeks flame.

One of the other women cleared their throat.

"As beautiful as this is guys, We really need to get out there otherwise we'll forfeit the game, and I really want to destroy that Scattergood Squib!" Barbara called from the other end of the changing rooms.

"I've got to go," Ginny said as she tried to pull away, he nodded, releasing the broom. "Are you staying? To watch the game, I mean?" She asked hesitantly. He nodded.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world!" He replied quietly. She smiled as she turned and followed her teammates out.

"I didn't know you were dating Wood! He's gorgeous!" One of the women muttered as they left. Ginny glanced back and smirked before she disappeared out of sight.

Oliver let out the breath he'd been holding as the ground released his feet.


	11. Chapter 11

The crowd was deafening as they walked out into the stadium, but she could still hear her heartbeat as it boomed in her ears. She tried to still the nerves the hummed inside her. Different nerves to the ones before. He had come through for her. He cared, she felt like she could fly without using her broom after all.

She looked around at the crowds and waved as she tried to look for him, knowing that he wouldn't be in the stands this quickly. She ran to the centre of the pitch as she faced the Bats. The Chaser nodded to her respectfully as she approached. She nodded back as she mounted her broom, waiting for the referee to blow the whistle for push-off.

Once in the air, her eyes were all for the Quaffle. She raced forward, but one of the Bat's Chasers got there first. She zoomed after him as he raced towards their hoops. She felt a jolt as he broom spun out. She saw the bludger and straightened before she collided with one of the stands. She kicked off and rushed after the chasers, ignoring the other players.

She saw her teammates desperate to catch the Quaffle and cursed as Ariel's fingers found the edge but missed. She hissed as she waited, but it missed the hoop. She sighed as her eyes fixed on the chaser that was behind the hoop, waiting to catch it. She managed to fly between them taking possession of the Quaffle. She glanced back to see that they were on her tail.

She took a deep breath and prepared herself. Forcing her broom into some tight zig zags, she managed to pull off the Wollongong shimmy but not before subtly throwing the Quaffle to Ellen, one of the other chasers. The Bat's distracted by the shimmy closed in on her, she felt it as their shoulders touched her jersey. She aimed her broom towards the ground pulling her into a tight loop before finding herself behind the chasers. Confused, they turned to find her again. She waved as the crowd cheered. She saw Ellen empty-handed next to their hoops as she grinned.

"Stop showing off Weasley, No one's impressed." Came Scattergood's sneer from above her.

"Oh, go and find your ball. We both know it's the only one you have." She replied as a Bludger caught the seeker in the chest. Ginny snorted as he almost fell off his broom. She turned to find Barbara winking at her before zooming off.

"Gin!" She heard her name and turned as she saw the Bats in possession again. She pushed forward coming level with The Bats Chaser. She saw a look of worry before he tried to manoeuvre away from her. She watched as he bungled the move, losing his grip on the Quaffle.

Ellen dove forward grabbing it before regaining her altitude. Ginny flanked her as she kept her eyes open for the other team. She saw a bludger head their way, but Barbara intercepted it and sent it flying at one of the approaching Chasers, catching him in the shoulder.

"Top form today, Barb!" Ginny shouted.

"I owe these guys!" She called back with a wicked grin.

Ellen pushed forward as she and the other Chaser followed close behind. She threw the ball and threw the hoop it went. They cheered before they were off again.

The game seemed to fly by, and Ginny could feel her thighs cramping as the cold air set in. They were 320 to 290, and the snitch was nowhere to be seen. She heard someone call her name, she turned when the world went dark.


	12. Chapter 12

Oliver sat nervously as he watched the game, his knee bouncing with unsent energy as he watched Ginny roll and dive. She really was a magnificent flyer. He hissed and gasped and cheered as the game progressed. The Wollongong shimmy was his favourite, and he laughed out loud as he saw her pull off one of the twins favourite moves. She pulled it off seamlessly and knew that Fred would have been so proud.

He felt like an electrical current was passing through his body. He stood to watch as she rolled into a dive before shooting up and scoring a goal. He covered his mouth and shook his head. She was a force to be reconned with. Why had she not been on their team in Hogwarts? None of the other teams would have stood a chance.

It was with a dawning horror that he watched one of the Bat's beaters aim a bludger at her. He tried to call out, but it was too late. As she turned the bludger caught her in the head. He felt his heart stop as she, with her broom wilted towards the ground.

The world was a blur as he stood there frozen. A groan went through the crowd before a cheer erupted. He looked away and noticed that the Harpies seeker had caught the snitch, winning them the game. He looked back to Ginny and saw that she lay lifeless on the floor.

He jumped from his seat and raced down to the stadium floor as the crowd invaded the pitch. He tried pushing through, but the crowd was too thick. Panic rose in his chest as he tried to fight the tide.

He stopped. They would take her to the changing rooms first to be assessed before moving her to St Mungo's.

He stepped away and headed there, noting that one of the mediwitches was already floating her in that direction. He stood outside and waited. He wasn't her boyfriend, he didn't feel like he had any claim to her. He pushed himself against the wall, wanting nothing more than to barge int the changing rooms.

Time seemed to crawl by as he waited. The door opened, and he threw his head round, almost causing himself an injury.

"Wood?" It was Barbara, one of the beaters.

"Is she alright?" He asked in a rush. Barbara smiled but not entirely.

"Erm," She started with a grimace "You'd better come see for yourself." She ushed the door open and held it as he pushed through behind her. The team were still sat in their uniforms as the mediwizard hovered over Ginny.

"I'm alright, stop fussing." She moaned as she tried to push up.

"Now, Weasley, Stop fighting!" The mediwitch said firmly.

Oliver let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding as he got closer. She was alright.

Ginny pushed herself up, and Oliver gritted his teeth at the massive red mark across her face. Their eyes met, and she smiled.

"Hey," She replied.

"Hi," He said nervously. "Are you alright?" He was aware that eyes were on them.

"Come on, girls. Hit the showers, let's give them some privacy." Ariel called as the others smirked and giggled as they left the room.

He stepped closer as she rubbed her face.

"Are you alright?" He repeated quietly.

"I'm fine, Oscar," She replied.

"Oscar?" He asked, confused. "Who's Oscar?"

"You are silly!" She smirked.

"Have you lost your memory?" He asked as worry filled his veins, what if she'd lost her memory of him?"

"I'm sure if I really had, You'd have it anyway!" She said as she stood up unsteadily.

Oliver stood, his hands raised, ready to catch her if she fell. She stepped forward a couple of steps before looking into his face. He felt his heartbeat stuttered as those deep chocolate eyes looked at him. She glanced down at his lips again before looking into his eyes.

She grinned mischievously before she pushed forward. He stepped back and felt the wall behind him. She stopped in front of him and looked up.

"I was joking, you know? I know your name is really Oswald." She winked as she took his hand.

"I see how it is. Picking on me! I saved your arse, don't forget! I brought your broom!"

"True. How can I ever repay you?" He couldn't help himself as his eyes darted down to her lips, plumb and red from the cold.

"That's not necessary." He replied politely as he longed to kiss those lips. He felt his own tingle in anticipation.

"Are you going to run away again?" She asked he smirked, turning sad. He looked at her and knew that she completed him. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. If he didn't speak now, he would regret it forever.

"You could do so much better." He said finally.

"I know, but I don't want to." She smiled playfully. "What do you say? We can give it a go. We might even like it. It would certainly make getting our stuff back easier."

He found himself nodding as she pressed closer. He lowered his head to hers as she pushed against him. His skin exploded as their lips touched, like a sudden gust of icy air across his face. He needed more. He allowed himself to do what he'd wanted to do for days. He raised his hands and pushed his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer. She groaned into the kiss as she pushed him against the wall, pulling at his clothes to get closer. He could get used to this.

He heard a snigger and Ginny pulled away, slowly. They turned to find the team watching them and grinning.

"Oh, Shut up!" Ginny smirked as they burst into giggles. Oliver smiled too as he pulled her in for another kiss. The team erupted into wolf whistles as he luxuriated in the closeness of her.

"Would you like to grab dinner?" He murmured as he pulled away from her.

"Like a date?"

"Of course. That's what dating couples do, isn't it?"

Seeing the smile and blush that broke out across her face was worth the nervous flutter in his heart at being so brave.

"Then, I accept, However, I think, tonight I would prefer something quiet and relaxed," she said as she tenderly touched her face.

"Then come back to mine, and I'll cook you dinner." He offered.

"You better go with him, Weasley! Otherwise, I'll take your place!" Barbara called

"I'd better say yes then," Ginny smirked. "Now get out so I can get showered and changed.

He leant forward again and kissed her before leaving her to the mercy of her team.


	13. Chapter 13

Ginny smiled as she pulled on her dress. She grimaced as she tried to pull up the zip at the back. She'd left her wand downstairs. She rolled her eyes as Oliver walked in.

"Hey, sweetheart." He greeted her as he kissed her cheek. "Need a hand?" She nodded and shivered as he gently swept her growing hair away from her neck. He kissed her shoulder as he slowly pulled the zip skyward. She closed her eyes as his lips moved to her neck. She almost wished that they weren't going out tonight. He pulled away reluctantly as he stepped back to look at her.

"You look stunning." He said, his Scottish accent sounding thicker than usual. She had found out that that usually happened when he was feeling emotional. She smiled at him, as her eyes made an approving sweep over his suit.

"Not looking too shabby yourself!" She winked. He smiled and gave a slow twirl.

"Madame malkins really do have robes for any occasions." He smirked before turning to the dresser. "Have you seen my cufflinks?" He asked as he rummaged through one of his drawers.

"Last time I remember seeing them, we lost them somewhere around the living room rug." She replied with a smirk as she put her earrings in.

"Ah, but of course." He smiled as he rolled his eyes. "You do have form for losing things, after all."

"Yes, but they're not usually your things I lose." He nodded and shrugged. "True, oh well, I'll go and have a look and see whether I can find them." He pecked her on the cheek again before leaving the room. As soon as he was gone, she rushed to her underwear drawer and pulled out a box. She glanced inside and smiled. It was a leap year, and she fully intended on keeping the Keeper. The golden band was simple enough, but a small garnet, set into the centre of the band glinted as the light caught it. She intended on making him hers tonight.

When they arrived, Ginny was confused. They were in the centre of a field. She recognised the trees, she'd climbed them often enough as a child. She turned to Oliver in confusion to find a table and chairs set up for a romantic dinner for two. She smiled suspiciously as he held the chair for her to be seated.

"Why are we at the Burrow?" she asked as she picked up her napkin.

"I know that you don't feel comfortable in 'posh' restaurants" he explained with a slight roll of his eyes. He grinned cheekily as she rubbed his leg with her foot. "But maybe I don't want to share you with anyone else tonight?"

"Mhmm" she replied sarcastically as she leant forward. "I would ask what the food is like, but I know it's the best." She smirked as a figure appeared through the gathering darkness.

"Charlie?" Ginny gasped, recognising her brother instantly. She stood and pulled him close into a tight hug.

"Hey, Snidget," He grinned as he returned her hug.

"When did you get so short?" She asked with a grin as she pulled back.

"When I offered to wait on you two for the evening, now sit down, cheeky bugger." He laughed. She missed his laugh.

"You arranged this?" Ginny asked, turning to Oliver, who smiled affectionately at her.

"Well, only the best for my girl!" He smirked as he turned back to Charlie.

"So, welcome to La Burrow, the starters are tomato soup with crusty rolls, followed by Spaghetti Bolognese. And if you still have room for dessert, the chef has made chocolate fudge cake." Charlie did a theatrical bow before he continued "what would you like to drink?"

"I would like a butterbeer, please."

"Make that two, please, Charlie" Oliver replied.

Charlie bowed again with a wink and a smirk as he jogged back to the house.

Ginny sat back and shook her head.

"Well, Mr Wood, aren't you full of surprises?"

"Sometimes," He shrugged as he held his hands out to take hers. She responded gladly, feeling the tingle as their skin touched. She sighed contently as she smiled at him.

They ate dinner, and as predicted, it was the best her mother could make. She sat, waiting for the perfect opportunity to present itself. She could feel the box in the hidden pocket of her dress. She knew it would be soon. The candles flickered in the perfect evening as the stars appeared above them. The sweet smell of nature surrounded them as they sat in companionable silence. She took a deep breath as she stood. Oliver stood too. They looked at each other and grinned. Oliver brushed himself down and looked around as they enjoyed the evening. Now! Her chance was now.

She hitched up her skirt and knelt down and waited for him to turn around.

The look on his face was worth it as she knelt, ring box in hand.

"Gin? What are you doing?" He asked, the Scottish lilt in his voice thick.

"What does it look like I'm doing, it's a leap year after all."

"But." He stepped closer and laughed. "I guess I should have guessed, you were always more independent and much braver than I." She rolled her eyes, and she opened the box.

His smile faltered for a moment as he stared into the box, his face losing all humour.

"Where did you get that?" She felt panic rush through her veins as she turned the box to look at the contents.

A beautiful golden ring appeared from the box, but it wasn't the ring she'd had earlier. The ring was simple but elegant with the traditional diamond in the centre, garnets and smaller diamonds decorating the shank. It was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen, but it was clearly made for a woman. Movement caught her eye as Oliver knelt in front of her, his eyes level with hers.

"Is this yours?" He asked with a smirk as he opened up an identical box with the band she'd picked out for him. Tears filled her eyes as she started to laugh.

"Will you stop losing my things" She laughed as she tried dabbing at her eyes.

"So?" He asked as he motioned to the box.

"Depends, will you?" She asked motioning to his.

"I do." He said with a roll of his eyes.

"Don't sound so enthusiastic!" She laughed as she took the ring out of its box and pushed it onto his finger.

"Don't leave me waiting." He replied. "Will you?"

"I will," She sighed as she let him push the ring onto hers.

He slid his fingers into her hair, pulling her forward into a kiss.

"DID SHE SAY YES YET?" Her mother called from the Burrow.

"Molly, Shush!" She heard her father replied.

She didn't care as she felt his lips and hers. She had finally found her soulmate, All was well.


End file.
